Timothy Wastell

Coming Up

The early shape of Timothy Wastell’s cooking was set on the line, where speed, discipline, and repetition define the work more than theory ever does. Starting in 2003 as a line cook at Game Creek Club in Vail, Colorado, then moving to sous chef at La Tour in Vail, Colorado, the foundation was built kitchen by kitchen before a stage at Tru in Chicago, Illinois (from 2007) widened the frame and tightened the standard. The Northwest years pushed that foundation into leadership. As co-chef at DOC and opening chef at Old Salt Marketplace in Northeast Portland, Oregon (2013–2014), the job was no longer only to execute but to set pace, absorb pressure, and keep a room moving. Those roles reward control over theatrics: timing, judgment, and the ability to make difficult service look routine. Firehouse (2014–2015) and Old Pal in Southeast Portland, Oregon (since 2026) extended that line of work into a more defined register. The later career reads as accumulation rather than reinvention, with each kitchen adding another layer of calibration to the same underlying skill set. Today, Timothy Wastell is chef of Old Pal (since 2026), continuing in the same discipline that has marked his path from the beginning.

Career - chef — Old Pal, Southeast Portland, Oregon (2026–present) - line cook — Game Creek Club, Vail, Colorado (from 2003) - sous chef — La Tour, Vail, Colorado - stage — Tru, Chicago, Illinois (from 2007) - co-chef — DOC - opening chef — Old Salt Marketplace, Northeast Portland, Oregon (2013–2014) - chef — Firehouse (2014–2015) - chef — Old Pal, Southeast Portland, Oregon (2026–present)

Signature

A Very Nice Lunch is the named signature associated with Timothy Wastell. The title lands lightly, but in trade terms it signals something useful: a plate that can carry wit without losing discipline, and a menu item that stays concise enough to be remembered on the floor and in the pass.

In Their Words “The most formative and informative restaurant job I had was when I was 19 or 20 and moved to Vail, Colorado.” Those remarks point to the practical way a cooking voice is built: by location, repetition, and early exposure to work that demands precision. Port Huron, Michigan, Marysville, Michigan, Vail, Colorado, Chicago, Illinois, Northeast Portland, Oregon, and Amity, Oregon map the route of a career that has been shaped less by narrative than by service, kitchen culture, and accumulated reps.

Honors

James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific (2025) is the recognition attached to Timothy Wastell’s record. The award sits on top of the earlier work rather than replacing it: the line cook start in 2003, the sous chef period, the stage at Tru in Chicago, Illinois (from 2007), the opening pressure of Old Salt Marketplace in Northeast Portland, Oregon (2013–2014), and the later runs at Firehouse (2014–2015) and Antica Terra in Amity, Oregon (2016–2026).

FAQ Where did Timothy Wastell work before? Earlier in their career, Timothy Wastell worked at Game Creek Club, La Tour, and Tru. What recognition has Timothy Wastell received? James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific (2025).